1. Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure relates generally to organic light emitting displays. The present disclosure relates more specifically to a laser induced thermal imaging apparatus and a laser induced thermal imaging method using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an organic light emitting display has been spotlighted as a next generation display device since it has superior brightness and viewing angle and does not need to include a separate light source as compared to a liquid crystal display. Accordingly, the organic light emitting display has advantages of slimness and light weight. In addition, the organic light emitting display has other desirable properties, e.g., fast response speed, low power consumption, high brightness, etc.
In general, the organic light emitting display includes pixels with an organic light emitting device including an anode electrode, an organic light emitting layer, and a cathode electrode. Holes and electrons are injected into the organic light emitting layer through the anode electrode and the cathode electrode, and are recombined in the organic light emitting layer to generate excitons (electron-hole pairs). The excitons emit energy, which is discharged when an excited state returns to a ground state, as light.
The organic layers are currently formed by a printing method, e.g., an inkjet printing method, a nozzle printing method, etc., or a laser induced thermal imaging method.
The laser induced thermal imaging method has unique advantages of high-resolution patterning, excellent film thickness uniformity, multi-layer stack-ability, and scalability to a large-size mother glass.
The laser induced thermal imaging process using this laser induced thermal imaging method is performed on a donor film and a substrate, and the donor film includes an organic layer, a light-heat conversion layer, and a base film. A laser induced thermal imaging apparatus that performs the laser induced thermal imaging process includes a lamination device to perform a lamination process, and a laser irradiation device to perform a transfer process.
The lamination process is performed by disposing the organic layer to face the substrate, and adhering the donor film to the substrate.
In the transfer process, a laser beam is irradiated onto the base film of the donor film laminated onto the substrate. The laser beam irradiated onto the base film is absorbed by the light-heat conversion layer and converted to heat energy, and the organic layer is transferred to the substrate by this heat energy. As a result, an organic layer pattern is formed on the substrate.